Intern Profile: Lincoln Boyd ’15

June 16, 2014

Lincoln Boyd ’15

Major: Political science
Hometown: Lodi, California

Can you tell us what you’re doing this summer? What are your basic duties as an intern?

This summer I am working for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) in their Office of Planning and Postsecondary Readiness as an Urban Education Leaders Internship Program associate. I am currently helping launch a pilot program called DC Meets Washington aimed at mentoring middle school students in college and career planning by exposing them to college and career opportunities through site visits over the summer.

The second part of the program I am working on includes academic programming in literacy and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) by designing a rigorous summer curriculum grounded in high academic standards. My basic duty is to facilitate DC Meets Washington by coordinating site visits, researching potential partners and community-based organizations, and designing a curriculum that will prepare students for the next step in their education.

Lastly, I will oversee the program and make reports on efficiencies and inefficiencies upon its implementation. No retrieving coffee for supervisors, no hours spent at a photocopier, and no stapling over here at DCPS!

How has Lewis & Clark supported you in the process of finding, securing, and funding your internship?

Without financial support from the Fowler and Levin Summer Internship Award, such an opportunity would be lost. Students like me that cannot afford to take an unpaid internship find themselves in a limited circumstance when it comes time to choose an internship—we want to take the unpaid internship that cultivates professional development, but we are often forced to work the odd job to make money for tuition and various living expenses. The Fowler and Levin Award gave me and several other students a chance. It gave me an opportunity to do what I want to do in life and for that I am forever grateful.

How do you see this internship leading to a career in your chosen field and aiding in your overall career development?

Urban school districts are home to some of the poorest performing schools in the United States, and the District of Columbia Public Schools is a perfect microcosm of a poorly performing American urban school district. I have recently decided that I plan on pursuing a career in education administration and policy for the purpose of ensuring that academic success is the function of merit and not socioeconomic status or the color of a student’s skin. By uncovering and resolving inefficiencies in DCPS and being involved in the creation and launching of new, innovative programs and policies, this internship will equip me with the skills needed to combat educational inequality and spark a new era of education in the United States rooted in higher standards and opportunity for all. Interning with DCPS will also give me exposure to the rationale and hard work necessary to make difficult administrative decisions in education.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your experience thus far?

My experience has made me understand the importance of pursuing one’s passion. Engaging in work that you are passionate about creates a sense of purpose, pride, and joy in life. Life is an amazing adventure when you are doing what you love to do and are blazing your own trails. I still get the chills when I walk into the office and stop to think about the responsibility I hold in shaping the future of more than 46,500 students. Henry David Thoreau once said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” Thoreau was right.